Finley Historical Museum

The Finley Historical Museum is a showcase of the heritage of the Finley District and provides the opportunity to step back in time and view those items that supported the lives of our pioneering rural families.

Initiated in 1969 through the fore sight of John Hetrelezis and a group of enthusiastic locals, land was acquired on the Newell Highway adjacent to the Mary Lawson Wayside Rest and fenced to secure the considerable amount of material that had been collected or promised for later inclusion. To keep the project moving Christina and Norman McAllister made a donation to build a replica of the log cabin home, which was the first permanent residence in the Finley district, built by their father Charles McAllister at Myrtle Park in 1878.

Excessive rain and the flow of town drainage inundated the site for the first time in living memory in 1975 when great damage was done to the buildings and the moral of the committee.

With the pioneering spirit of their forebears the committee continued on with the works to provide drainage, electricity and water installations as well as constructing pavillions to display a vast array of historic farm machinery and memorabilia.

The relocation to the museum of the building constructed during the 1890's on the McAllister property, Myrtle Park, to provide schooling for some 28 pupils and a place or worship for their families resident on the property gives great insight to rural life prior to federation.